Liquid control



N0v.17,1936.\ V',W MOODY A 2,061,204

LIQUID CONTROL Filed May 2l, 1934 a JJv @faq- 75- M wir 1h 'Q1 P60/ws La Magny EJ WM5/ww? A Z Z5 4J PER Patented Nov. 17, 1936 2,001,204 i mann) ooN'rnoL Virginius W. Moody, New York, N. Y., assigner to Reynolds Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 21, 1934, Serial No. 726,702

1.1 Claims. (Cl. (i2-91.5)

'I'his invention has to do with means for regulating the flow of cooling medium in a mechanical refrigerator and relates particularly to a device for use with a refrigerating unit of the kind I 4described `in the co-pending applications of the present applicant.

One of the co-pendng applications, entitled Refrigeration control means isserially numbered 701,789 and was led December 11, 1933. The other of the co-pending applications is entitled Refrigerator and temperature control device, is serially numbered 677,006, and was filed June 22, 1933, now matured into Patent No. 2,001,105, issued May 14, 1935.

Included among the objects of the present invention is the provision of I A novel means of maintaining a predetermined supply of cooling medium in a reflux transfer system of a refrigerating device.

An improved means maintaining substantially a constant selected level of a cooling medium in a refrigerating device by compensating for loss of such medium that may occur through evaporation or other causes.

An improved means of introducing a portion of a reserve body of liquid into a body disposed for transfer at a rate depending upon the rate of loss of such circulating medium..

These, and other desirable objects, are ob. tained through the unique combination, improved construction and novel arrangement of the various elements constituting the present invention hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying single sheet of drawing hereby made a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation in section of a refrigerating device embodying a form of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a schematic' representation of a modified form of the invention.

Like reference characters are used in the drawing and throughout the following description for designating similar parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

members I serve to hold a cover member I0 tightly in place over the open side of the container, there being a gasket Il compressed between the cover member and the flange I4 to make the closure gas-tight. Below the refriger- 5 ant container I3 is a tank I8 for containing a nonfreezable liquid medium indicated by the reference character I9. Tank I8, tank 20, and a conduit 2I connecting the two tanks are counterparts of a refluxtransfer system for the cooling medium I 9. The conduit 2| passes through an insulating wall 22, which separates the compartments II and I2.

Above the refrigerant container I3 is a tank 23 for containing an extra supply of cooling medium that may be introduced in the transfer system as will be described presently. A short conduit leads from the upper part of the tank 23 downwardly through the ange I 4 about the opening of container I3. The lower end of this relativelyl short conduit 24 is closed and sealed by the gasket I 'I when the cover member I6 is clamped in place. Projecting upwardly from the tank 23 is a spout 25, which provides a means for placing cooling medium in the device, there being a cap 26 for sealing the end of the spout after filling.

y Connecting the tank 23 and tank I8 is a conduit 21 having a valve member 28 therein for permitting the flow of liquid in but one direction, namely, downwardly. Inasmuch as valves permitting passage of fluid in but one direction are common, the valve 28 has not been shown in detail.v

A conduit 38 having an inverted loop at its upper end serves to connect the refrigerant container I3 with the tank I8.

When the refrigerating unit is rst filled with cooling fluid, such filling is had by way of the spout 25. It will be recalled that the valve 28 permits fluid to ow from -tank 23 to tank I8. 4G After tank I8 is lied the liquid level will start to rise through the conduits 2 I, 2l and 38 and finally the liquid level will be the same in conduits 2l and 38 as in the tank 23. Because of the elevation of the loop section of conduit 30 none of the liquid can pour into the refrigerant container I3. Also the tank 20 will be above the liquid level in tank 23 so that normally there will be no liquid standing in the former. Usually the device will be filled with enough liquid to bring the level to a short 50 distance below the point at which the conduit 2t joins the tank 23. After filling the device the cap 26 is screwed tightly in place to prevent additional air entering the device. The lower end of conduit 26 remains sealed by the gasket Il. There 55 would be decreased.

gasket I1 and the cap 26 are not removed, substantially none of the liquid may discharge downwardly through the conduit 21 and into the tank I8 to replace the loss of fluid 'from the transfer system.

While the liquid cooling medium is in the tank I8, heat is passed therefrom through the bottom part of the container I3 to the refrigerant, the cooling medium thereby becoming cooled and the refrigerant becoming more rapidly sublimated. The gas emanating from the sublimated refriger` ant builds up a pressure', which is communicated through the conduit 38 into the tank I8 whereby to force the cooled medium or liquid upwardly to tank 20, while in tank 20 the cooled medium absorbs heat from the storage compartment I2l and any articles that may be therein. By means of mechanism, shown schematically and indicated generally by the indicum 38a, not a part of this invention, the pressure is releasedafter holding the medium in tank 20 for a selected time and so that the medium is returned to tank I8 to conductv therewith the heat absorbed from the' storage compartment. Different forms of the mechanism indicated at 38a are shown in detail in the two mentioned co-pending applications.y

Leading from the upper part of the tank 20 and into the compartment I I is a conduit 39. This conduit provides a means for gas to escape from tank 20 as the liquid is forced upwardly thereinto. Conduit 39 acts as a breather. inasmuch as the tank 28 is to be kept cool, it is not desirable to permit the breather 39 to discharge the cool air in'to the atmosphere and subsequently take in warm air from the atmosphere. Hence Athe cool air is exhausted from tank 20 into the determined according to the quantity of dis- Y placed liquid. Should gas'continue to be poured into the tank- I8 after the liquid therein has been lowered below the level of the entrance of the conduit 2l, the tank 20 would not be overrun with' fluid; only gas would bubble upwardly through the conduit 2l, through tank 20, outwardly of breather member 39, and into the compartment I I. A pop-off valve 40 is provided to preclude too great a `gas pressure accumulating within the compartment I I. It will be seen, therefore, that the capacity of the tank I8 is limited and that if a quantity of cooling liquid is to be stored in the device to replace any portion of the liquid that may be lost through evaporation, such extra liquid must be storedsomewhere besides in the tank I8.

With this much in view of the operation of the refrigerating unit, a description will be given of the manner in which the present device becomes useful therewith. First it will be Vconceived that if the quantity of cooling medium in the liquid transfer system is decreased, the rate at which the device will function to cool the compartment I2 will also decrease. For example, if the cooling fluid would be diminished to such an extent that it would no longer come in contact with the bottom of the container I3 the rate of transfer of heat between the iiuid vand the refrigerant It is the purpose of the present device to provide a reserve amount of fluid, which, in fractional quantities, will be periodically introduced into the liquid transfer system to replace uid lost from said system through evaporation orother cause.

If air be admitted into the upper part of the tank 23, then each time that the pressure in tank I8 is released to permit the liquid to flow back to the tank I8 to be leveled .oir therein and in the conduit 2l, the pressure at the lower side of valve 28 will likewise be released whereby the valve will be permitted to open so that. the liquid in tank23 and the conduit 2I may seek a common level. When such a common level is reached the liquid within the tank I8 will always be a uniform distance from the bottom of the container I3` and so that the transfer of heat thereto will be the same. If the conduit 38 is made to enter the top vof tank I9 so that no gas will be entrapped in the top of the tank, the

` the tank 23 by Way of the short conduit 24. Each time that the cover I6 is taken from refrigerant container to replace the consumed refrigerant, the lower end of the conduit 24 is uncovered to admit air into the tank 2,3. 'Ihe bore in conduit 21 is so small that little or no liquid can flow downwardly therethrough unless there is a pressure as great as atmospheric pressure in the tank 23. Valve 28 keeps liquid from being forced upwardly into the tank 23 during the times of high pressure in tank I8.

In Figure 2 the insulated cabinet for the device is not shown. The only difference in the forms of the device shown in Figure 1 and in Figure 2 is that in the second form a cap 4I having a pin-hole aperture 42 therein replaces the cap 26 of the rst form, and the conduit 21 is altered to have a horizontal section 43. The pin hole 42 serves to admit air in the tank 23 without permitting an appreciable loss of the reserve fluid by evaporation. This means of admitting air makes it possible to eliminate the conduit 24. Each time that the liquid is compressed within the tank I8 for being displaced upwardly into the tank 29, valve 28 is actuated to seal the passageway and thus prevent the displacement of the cooling liquid into the tank 23. Subsequently, when the pressure is released, the liquid in the tank 23, conduit 21, tank I8, conduit 38 and the conduit 2| will tend to seek a common level so that if there has been a loss of liquid in the tank I8 and the conduit 2I, the greater liquid level in 'the tank 23 and the conduit 21 Will causethe Valve 28 to open and allow intermingling of the otherwise separated bodies of liquid. Y

It is conceivable that the device may be embodied in other forms than those illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention and `hence it is to beunderstood that the scope of heat transfer relation with the interior of saidA compartment, a tank for a reserve supply of cooling liquid, ,a conduit between said tank and said system, and a valve in said conduit normally closing the passage in said conduit and operable to open such passage to release the liquidA from said tank when the level of the liquid in said system falls below a predetermined point.

2. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a compartment for articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of refiux transfer of a cooling medium and having a section in heat transfer relation with the interior of the first mentioned compartment and a section within the secondly mentioned compartment, a tank in the secondly mentioned compartment for a reserve supply of cooling medium, and means between said tank and said system operable to release liquid from said tank into said system when the level of the liquid in said system falls below a predetermined point.

3. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for' the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of l refiux transfer of a cooling medium and having a section within said storage `compartment and a section within said second compartment, a tank in said second compartment for a reserve supply of cooling medium, and a valve between said tank and said system and operable to release cooling medium from said tank into said system coincidentally with the liquid in said system falling below a predetermined point.

4. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of reiiux transfer for a cooling medium and having a section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said storage compartment and a section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said second compartment, a tank in said second compartment for a reserve supply of cooling medium, a conduit between said tank and said system, and means in said conduit operable to release liquid from said tank into said system when the level of the liquid 4in said system falls below a predetermined level.

5. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of ref fiux transfer for a cooling medium and having a section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said storage compartment and a section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said second compartment, a tank in said second compartment for a reserve supply of cooling medium, a conduit between said tank and said system, and a valve in said conduit normally closing the passage in said conduit and operable to open such passage to release the cooling medium from said tank coincidentally with the medium in said system falling below a predetermined level.

6. Referigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of refiux transfer for a cooling fiuid and having a rst sectionl in heat transfer relation with the interior of said storage compartment and a second section in said second compartment, the second section' of said system being of a capacity to hold the liquid normally in said system and normally containing such liquid, a-chamber in said second compartment for holding a sublimatory refrigerant and for confining gas arising from such refrigerant, said chamber being in heat transfer relation with the second section of said system, a conduit extending between said chamber and the second section of said system and directing the gas from said chamber into said system to force such liquid into the first section of said system, means for releasing the gas from said system subsequent to the forcing of such cooling liquid into said first section, a tank in said second compartment containing a reserve supply of cooling liquid, and means intermediate said tank and said system operable to release liquid from said tank into said system when the level of the liquid in said system falls below a predetermined point.

7. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of refiux transfer for a cooling fiuid having a first section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said storage compartment and a second section in said second compartment, the second section of said system being of a capacity equal to the volume of the fluid normally in said system and normally containing such liquid, a chamber in said second compartment for holding a sublimatory refrigerant and for confining gas arising from such refrigerant, said chamber being in heat transfer relation with the second section of said system, aconduit extending between said chamber and the second section of said system and directing the gas from said chamber into said system to force such liquid into the first section of said system, means for releasing the gas from said system subsequent to the forcing of such cooling liquid into said first section, a tank in said second compartment containing a reserve supply of cooling liquid, and a valve between said tank and said system and operable to release liquid from said tank into said system when the level of the liquid in said system falls below a predetermined point.

8. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of refiux transfer for a cooling fiuid and having a first section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said storage compartment and a second section in said second compartment, the second section of said system having a capacity equal to the volume of the liquid normally in said system and normally containing such liquid, a chamber in said second compartment for holding a sublimatory refrigerant and for confining gas arising from such refrigerant, said chamber being in heat transfer relation with the second section of said system, a conduit extending between said chamber and the second section of said system and directing the gas from said chamber into said system to force such liquid into the first section of said system, means for releasing the gas from said system subsequent to such cooling liquid being forced into said first section, a tank in said second compartment containing a reserve supply of cooling liquid, a conduit betweenJ said tank and said system, and means in said conduit operable to release liquid from said tank by way of said conduit into said system when the level of theliquid in said system falls below a predetermined point.

9. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a first compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, a system of reflux transfer for a cooling fiuid and having a first section in heat transfer relation with the interior of said storage compartment and second section in said second compartment, the secondv section of said system being of a capacity equal to the volume of the liquid normally in said system and normally containing such liquid, a chamber in said second compartment' for holding a sublimatory refrigerant and for confining gas arising from such refrigerant, said chamber being in heat transfer relation with the second section of said system, a conduit extending between said chamber and the secondY section of said system and directing the flowof gas from said charnber into said system to force such liquid into the rst section of said system, means for releasing the gas from said system subsequent to such cooling liquid being forced into said rst section, a tank in said second compartment and containing a reserve supply of cooling liquid, a conduit between said tank and said system, and a valve in said conduit normally closing the passage in said conduit and operable ,to open such passage to release the liquid from. said tank when the level of the liquid in said system fallsbelow a predetermined point.

10. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a chamber for receiving a sublimatory refrigerant and for confining gas arising from such refrigerant, there being an opening in said chamber for loading a refrigerant into said chamber, a` closure member for said opening, a system of reux transfer for a cooling uid having a section contiguous to said chamber and in heat transfer re-l lation therewith, and a section remote from said chamber, the contiguous section of the system having a capacity equal to the volume of the liquid normally in said system and normally containing such liquid, a conduit between said chamber'and the contiguous section of said system for directing the flow of gas from said chamber into said system to force the liquid into the remote y tem falling below a predetermined level, there being a vacuum formed in said tank as liquid passes therefrom into said system, such vacuum impeding the passage of ythe liquid, and means for admitting air into 'said tank and operable with the removal of said closure member'from the opening in said chamber.

11. Refrigerating mechanism comprising a chamber for receiving a sublimatory refrigerant and conningthe gas arising from such refrigerant, there being an opening in said chamber Ifor loadinga refrigerant material into said chamber, a closure member for said opening, a system of reflux transfer' for a cooling fluid having a section contiguous to said chamber and in heat transfer relation therewith, and, a section remote from said chamber, the contiguous section system, valve means in the last named conduitand operable for releasing the liquid from saidl tank into said system coincidentally with the liquid in said system falling below a predetermined level, there being a vacuum formed in said tank as liquid passes therefrom into said system,.

such vacuum impeding the passage of the liquid, and means for reducing such Vacuum comprising a conduit extending from said tank, and means operable with said closure member for closing the extended end of said last mentioned conduit when said closure member isplaced in position for closing the opening or' said chamber and for opening the extended end of said last mentioned conduit when said closure member is removed from such opening.

VIRGINIUS W. MOODY. 

